The Aftermath
by birdie83earth
Summary: The aftermath of war is not a quick-pick-me-up; it's a downright mess, and it's Aang and his friends that got stuck with the janitorial duties to pick up what the Rebels leave behind. Sequel to What Happens When Past Meets Present?
1. Prologue

**A/N: I do not own Avatar, just this story.**

**Read on…**

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><p>Pacing up and down his private room, Zuko seethed with the need to thrust a fireball at something–anything at all!–that would preferably <em>not<em> burn down his study. Finding nothing that wouldn't catch on fire, or at the very least char, he continued to pace with tendrils of smoke escaping his nose. This is how Katara found him.

"Is there any particular reason you seem so cheerful?" she asked mildly, doing a pretty negligent job of hiding her concern. She leaned against the door frame, her arms crossed and bright blue eyes expectant.

Zuko turned to look at her. The concern in her eyes knocked his anger down a peg, allowing his voice to achieve a semblance of normalcy. After all, nothing of what happened was her fault, and it'd be abusive to yell at her for his incompetence.

The Fire Lord turned and pressed his fist into the smoky colored wall of cool stone. "I sent for the Avatar a week ago and haven't heard back."

Katara nodded as she felt the knot in her chest screw itself tighter. "I'm worried too." In a flash she was behind him, wrapping her arms around his chest so that her hands rested on his heart. "The Avatar and the Greatest Earth Bender in history…how much trouble can they get in?"

The whisper of a smile touched a corner of Zuko's lips. "You have met them, correct?" his fist was still clenched, his knuckles turning white.

Katara's embrace tensed the slightest bit. He brought his free hand to place above her cold hands, in an effort of comfort.

"If they were in trouble we would have heard it by now," she reasoned with plausible logic. After all, there wasn't much the Avatar could do without some sort of grape-vine catching wind of it. Though her sound logic perked up Zuko, she hid the discontent it stirred on the inside. No amount of logic could dissuade her from the worry – she hadn't even received a single letter or message from Toph of Aang! By now, two weeks passed with no word about their status on the secret mission prompted by one of Aang's many visions.

But she reigned in the worry. Zuko had too much on his mind already with the rebels. This worry was hers to keep.

"In the meantime, your Generals would like to speak with you-," she felt him tense and with more fervor than before she intoned, "They're coming back."

Zuko nodded, not altogether believing nor dismissing her. He'd believe her because he needed to.

With the issue hastily settled, he switched his mind over to the citizens of the Fire Nation. They needed a plan and a rapid execution of it as quickly as conceivably possible. He couldn't wait on the Avatar or his Field Marshal. The First and Second division under her command would just have to wait before being deployed. He'd rather break his wrist than deploy them under another General and if Toph ever found out she'd break more than just his wrist.

With a small shudder he hedged, "We'll be late," referring to the meeting.

Katara untangled herself from him. "Let's go," she said with conviction, holding firmly to his hand in a silent _"together."_


	2. Stop the Ride Before I Blow Chunks

**A/N: I do not own Avatar, just this story.**

**Read on…**

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><p><strong>Toph<strong>

"Could we go any faster?" I deadpanned as we whipped through the air on Appa's back, my hands clutching the saddle for dear life.

The roaring wind drowned out my voice, so Twinkle Toes didn't answer me, and I wouldn't dare to throw anything as it'd probably boomerang back to me. Holding back a whimper by piercing my lip with tight teeth, I clutched the side of the saddle tighter, feeling the leather bend a bit under my pressure as we hit some turbulence. This was going to be a long ride.

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><p>Hot bile rose up in the back of my throat, but I chocked it back, scorching my esophagus. "I feel sick," I moaned at Twinkle Toes who slowed Appa from tearing a hole in the sky to a more agreeable speed. When his hand touched my shoulder I didn't even have enough energy to jump at the sudden contact.<p>

"Sorry. I thought you said you were ready."

I heard him shift, probably to sit beside me.

A moan of distaste left my lips. My stomach churned as if Katara had just waterbended the crap out of it. I felt him put his large hand on my back. He rubbed my back in what he believed would be soothing circles, but what actually made me all the more sensitive to my stomach dilemma.

"Stop rubbing. It's making it worse," I groaned. "Damn bug stew and swampy hick people."

I heard him laugh slightly. If I was feeling better I would have shot him a glare but for now the effort it would have taken to move my facial muscles wasn't worth it.

"I'd take a break but…."

I felt him, more than heard him, shift uncomfortably in his skin. Thoughts of the Fire Nation's impending doom, my men, and my home away from home dispatched a small amount of relief into the broiling pit of my stomach. I sat up a little straighter, though still clutched the saddle tightly. I was the Greatest Earthbender in the World damn it! A little air travel at super speeds was nothing compared to all I'd lived through. I fought in a damn war!

"How much farther?" I asked, trying to reign in my queasy tone.

"Just until sunset, I think."

Right…because I could see what position the sun was currently residing at. I sighed silently to myself. "Then stop moving like a wounded jackalope and step on it Granny!"

Aang laughed. "As you command lady Bei Fong." Before I could bust him with his own sleeping bag he said, "Yip yip!"

I closed my eyes tightly with thoughts of fast approaching familiar soil keeping the hot bile from traveling back up my throat. This was going to be a long ride.


	3. The Logical Process of Quartering

**A/N: I do not own Avatar, just this story.**

**Read on…**

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><p><strong>Katara<strong>

My head throbbed, but I tried not to show it in front of the Generals. Revealing weakness in front of these men laden with tough exteriors and even tougher personalities would wound my pride – something I couldn't comfortably allow.

"Scouts were compromised at the edge of the Rebel's camp radius. We got a general location but it's not enough to launch an attack."

"It's not as if we could play it by ear," one supported the thoughts of the first speaker.

Another General scoffed. "We know they're being headed by Weng Chu. Hell, we made that "Wench" Chu what he is today. I don't see why we aren't using his history as a Colonel against them."

"Wouldn't that be obvious though?" I piped up above the gruff voices of the Generals.

We were all seated around the large map in the War Room. Zuko sat with his Generals, preferring to value them as equals instead of pawns in a twisted game for power.

"How so Lady Katara?" one of the gruff Generals prompted.

I cleared my throat while looking at the pieces on the maps.

"The first thing we would do is try to use his lessons against him, but with that knowledge he should be able to easily counter whatever attack we mount."

"With all due respect Lady Katara, you were not a private in our infantries. The lessons we learned there were beat into us until we ate, drank, and slept with them under our pillows for lullabies. Whether or not he resorts to atypical counter tactics as a result of this new, inexperienced crowd he runs with is not the issue – he'll definitively do that. The issue equates to when he'll resort back to his lessons. That's when we tie the figurative – or literal, depending on how things go – noose."

"I understand perfectly General Brue, however you didn't let me finish."

He bowed his head respectively. "My apologies Lady Katara."

"Weng Chu is a firebender. As are most of his recruited rebels, correct?" I didn't wait for an answer. "The thing is, we not only have the Avatar on our side, but the other nations as well. We have to start involving others in our affairs – not entirely, mind you – but to at least reflect upon the world that the Fire Nation is trying to change but we could use a little help, we would be able to fight not fire with fire; but fire with water, earth, wind, and fire."

This caused quite a disgruntled ripple among the steely Generals. Asking for help was something they hardly ever sought.

"Have they not seen enough war? They would be peeved at the thought of involving more of their soldiers in a war that is entirely our problem."

I opened my mouth to exert my point but instead, Zuko spoke up.

"You are right General. This world has seen enough wars to last ten thousand years." Where was he going with this? "The rebel uprising is the Fire Nation's problem. However, as you've see we have an Earthbender living with us. The greatest Earthbender in history, I should say. She trains our recruits and does an excellent job of it. She's not of the Fire Nation, is she?"

"No, my Lord."

"Yet she'd fight to the death to defend any one of us, Spirits forbid we should need it."

A few nodded absently. Toph had certainly made herself known among the Generals. She drank and laughed with many of them on her off nights.

"This is just the aftermath of war. We're cleaning up past remembrances of a hellish time under the rule of my family. But with most of our soldiers locked up for war crimes, many dead, and more in leagues with the rebellion, we do not contain the man power to capitulate a full scale attack. Regardless of whose mess it is to clean up, we need help. I've been in touch with the Earth King through the Avatar and he is more than willing to aid us in our reform. Katara has been in touch with both her sister tribes and they are willing to lend a hand. These nations are ever so willing to lend their aid. Why are we so grudging in accepting it?"

I almost smiled. Almost. The ghost of a smile touched my lips but I held them down. Sometimes I could just kiss the man. However in a war room with a bunch of hardened Generals that would hardly be considered appropriate conduct. A girl could fantasize though, right?

"I see your point Fire Lord and Lady Katara," General Brue said amiably. Many nodded but more than a few seemed to need hard proof of effectiveness before they relented. At least now they were open to the idea.

"When will Field Marshal Toph return?"

I looked at Zuko for an answer.

"She's been on a voyage for two weeks now and I've heard no word of them."

"Usually she'd send me some wine from wherever she was going. The Earth Kingdom has wonderful berry wine."

Zuko cleared his throat. "Field Marshal Toph has been granted a temporary leave to attend to personal matters. She will return soon."

Everyone nodded, respecting Toph's privacy.

"I propose for the fourth, fifth, seventh, and thirteenth division to prepare for battle against Weng Chu's forces. We know where they're located. Two miles south of their forces runs a river. That is where I want the watertribe forces to enter, along with the thirteenth division. The earthbenders along with the fourth fifth and seventh squads will attack from the north, east and west sides of their camp. Earthbenders will attack from underneath the camp only after our forces go first."

I piped in my own information. "The people of the Water Tribe and the warriors of the Earth Kingdom will arrive tomorrow. For three days we will host them, show them around and how much we wish to change. I expect all the soldiers to act in a completely respectable manner. On the fourth day we will go over plans with the rest of the tribes' leaders. Then we execute it."

Zuko took over, conviction and nationalism ringing clear in his voice, "We've been preparing for such an assault to take back our nation for seven years. Weng Chu's rag-tag army is the biggest threat right now and we cannot afford to let them win."

The Generals raised their fists. "Here, here," they concurred with no trace of doubt laced in their deep voices.

"Please retire to make preparations for their arrival," Zuko aptly dismissed them.

The Generals retired after bows towards Zuko and I. When we were finally alone, I fell back from my sitting pillow to lie on the floor. Zuko's steps sounded quick and sure before he fell beside me. He grabbed my hand, bringing it up to his lips for a quick peck.

"I think that was the most productive meeting I've ever been in."

I smiled. "It was the most terrifying one I've attended."

He turned his head to look at me. "How so? I believed you conducted yourself with the utmost dignity and respect."

I shoved his shoulder. "I thought I was going to say something wrong. Or something too…well, I didn't want to overstep my boundaries with your Generals." After all my home was the Southern Water Tribe and for a long time I fought against the very Generals I'd just addressed in the room. What want did they have to listen to me?

He propped himself up on his elbows, holding my face gently in his callused hands. "You cannot ever overstep your boundaries. You are the Fire Lady."

One part of my lip curled into pout. "I suppose."

"No," he said with a quick kiss on my cheek. "No supposing. You _are_ the Fire Lady and you're doing a wonderful job of it. They honestly respect you and your opinions. For me-" he pecked my other cheek – "You keep me going when I just want to stop everything. You are my life."

Instead of verbally answering, I lead his soft lips to mine. Warmth began flooding my veins. It traveled to my pulse where my coursing blood began pumping a crank with steady rhythm, picking up speed as Zuko's long fingers wrapped behind my head to pull us closer. Happily, and a bit emphatically I obliged by pushing him backwards to take back control. Before anything could really get started, a knock on the door hastened our separation.

"Fire Lord Zuko, Lady Katara I have an urgent message for you."

Zuko looked a little peeved with his hair slightly mussed and his eyes blazing with a hastily covered fire. I thought it best to hold in my giggles. "What is it?"

"Field Marshall Toph and Avatar Aang have been spotted, sir. They should be touching down shortly."

We quickly scrambled from our positions to head for the courtyard, all past passions replaced with boiled worry. _When I get my hands on those two they'll be lucky to survive with appendages intact!_

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><p><strong>AN: So, my updates will be few and far between because I'm getting together a portfolio for my future studies but I will do my best to update my stories. Honestly, I've been wanting to get this one out for a while now.**

**Hope you anticipate the next chapters with held breath (but let out that breath every once in a while, for I will plead the fifth if you suffocate yourselves).**

**Love: Lola of the Peaches**

**=]**


	4. Of Wicked Spirits and Mistakes

As soon as Appa touched the ground, Toph was off the cuddly creature with the speed of a Tigerdillo. With feet firmly planted on gracious ground, the world slowly stopped spinning on a runaway axis inside her head. To revel in the feeling of solidness would have to wait. After all, Field Marshals could hardly be seen kissing the ground beneath their feet (amongst company anyways). So she stood tall and firm beside the Avatar as he greeted those who came to receive them.

The people of the palace implored Avatar Aang to disclose any sort of discomfort they (he) felt, like hunger or thirst. They were eager to bring the Avatar everything he so desired and a few that he probably hadn't even thought to ask. Who needs a foot scrubbing so soon after getting off their flying bison? Across the courtyard they'd landed in, stood a few people on the edges keen on watching, but not daring to approach.

Toph leaned over and asked one of the many servants for the time.

"A few minutes after seven in the afternoon, Field Marshal Bei Fong," they supplied before going back to harassing the Avatar who merely sweat dropped at so many people wanting to attend him.

"Has the Fire Lord been informed of my arrival?" He asked above their voices.

"Of course, of course, he's just finished up a meeting with Lady Katara and the Generals so he'll be along shortly."

One of the attending servants, more high ranking than the rest of them, clapped his hands together and ordered them all away to prepare for dinner. As they hurried off, after bowing respectfully to the Avatar, the high ranking servant stood in front of the Avatar.

"I apologize for their enthusiasm."

Aang waved off his concerns, though he did feel slightly claustrophobic from all their questions about his trip, his health, whether or not he wanted his nails clipped, and his preferences in meals.

"I should be used to such a welcoming by now. Would you mind having someone tend to Appa?"

Appa gave a small roar, alarming the man a bit.

"I will…get someone right on that Avatar Aang." He walked with dignity, but quickly, in order to put some distance between him and the large animal.

Finally left alone, he turned to the side to address Toph but two soldiers stood in front of her.

Their terrified, yet stony, demeanor seemed his cue to walk off toward Zuko and Katara who stood at the top of the stair leading down to the courtyard. He gave a friendly wave and walked up to greet them as Appa was lead into stables for food and water.

"Permission to speak," asked a soldier as they both saluted their Field Marshal.

"Not granted," Toph coldly informed them. "Do you know what time it is soldiers?"

They gave brisk nods, not daring to speak lest she rip out their vocal chords for disobeying an order. Actually, even that punishment could be considered lenient.

"If you smart, loyal, responsible soldiers know the time…why is it I find you in the courtyard?" she added a _tsk_, knowing this would set them off edge, "This unfortunately leads me to conclude that in my absence the company must not have obeyed the specific requests that I entrusted with the Lieutenant. Should I blame the Lieutenant for neglecting his watch duties over my company or you two for blatantly disregarding a standing order?"

At the slight curve of her fingers, beckoning a response, they shared a quiet argument with their eyes, waiting to see which one of them would give in and bear the brunt of the Field Marshal's caustic wrath.

Finally, one of them broke, "Our sincerest apologies Field Marshal Bei Fong. When we heard you were arriving we wanted to make sure you arrived well."

_I really beat the lies out them, didn't I?_ Toph mused with a proud heart. She felt humbled by the fact that the soldiers of her platoon couldn't wait to greet her to the point they disregarded direct orders. Though, she couldn't display happiness with their spout of rebellion. After all, her duty lay in refining these soldiers like earth into metal. She was the shovel that dug up the dirt and the furnace that burned impurities.

"Of course you would. Who could blame you for caring?–" just as they sucked in air to expel in relief, their fantasy hit bottom like the end of a rock-alanche–"But that desire hardly excuses your behavior. Back to the quarters, with you. Be sure you tell all my soldiers that I'll be sure to give them warm greeting as well." The sickly sweet tone scared them more than if she had screamed in their face. "Dismissed."

The soldiers bowed deeply, hoping to assuage her deranged thoughts by showing utmost respect. Though a fist of fire in their bellies told them that they could have cut off one of their hands at her request and their chances still sucked.

Every soldier undoubtedly harbored enough aching, terrifying, and exhaustive experiences with Field Marshal Bei Fong to last them through many nightmares until old age, but her last parting words would have made them pee their pants if they were not trained to hold in such unseemly behavior.

"Oh, soldiers," she called out, still as sweet as a poisonous berry right before the juices attacked the nervous system, leading the way to cardiac arrest. "I do hope you have the sweetest of dreams tonight…because tomorrow will mark hell on earth for all of you." She sneered and cackled at their sudden, fearful gulps as they hastily bowed again and all but sprinted for safety away from their deranged Field Marshal. With the setting sun outlining her body, arms shaking at her sides, it appeared as though fire literally poured from her skin, and the wind blowing hard made her hair take a life of its own. She looked like a witch bent on cursing anyone who crossed her path.

These remarks were some of the few they used to describe their returning Field Marshal to the rest of the company who held little doubt that she may actually be an evil spirit bent on reaping destruction for personal amusement. Long story short: there were no sweet dreams that night…or the next couple of nights as a cackling, wild-haired Field Marshal skipped from dream to dream spewing flames at their feet and throwing pointy rocks at their heads.

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><p>Cackling turned to soft laughter as she wiped tears from her blind eyes.<p>

"Oh yeah," she said in a breathy tone to herself as she headed up the steps to catch up to Twinkle Toes, Princess and Hot Stuff, "I missed them."

She made her way towards the war room feeling reluctant to so quickly start talk of rebel tactics. Where were the good days when Sokka was mauled by random insects and could always be counted on for a laugh? Though she missed the lighthearted moments they all shared the hundred-year war left quite a mess for them to clean up.  
>She felt them stand around the war table with the little figurines as Zuko briefed Aang on the situation. She caught the explanation early as she let herself in the room, so nothing was missed.<p>

"Toph, it's so good to see you again," Sweetness rushed over to engulf the teenager in a hug. Toph patted her back awkwardly.

"Wish I could say the same," she joked. "But you feel like you're doing much better." She was referring to the little munchkin inside the water tribe girl, but couldn't say much in the presence of the Avatar. Katara couldn't thank her enough for the discretion.

"I am. After this you and I are getting together and talking about your trip."

"No can do. I'm hitting the mattress. I have to be…refreshed for when I face my troop tomorrow." A small, sly smirk lit her face before Zuko directed their attention to the upcoming plans.

"Glad you're both safe and sound. I am sorry to spring this up on you guys just as you arrived but we need to put these plans into motion as soon as possible to quell the uprising."

Toph mock saluted, "Speak on Lord Sparky Pants."

Katara hid her laugh behind a bad cough and Aang simply giggled at how serious she sounded.

Zuko gave a small huff, but smiled nonetheless. He had missed her personality these past few weeks.

"We were just talking about sending your company in first. Sort of a flash attack before we give orders to send in more men."

Toph gave a cheeky grin. "Give us fifteen minutes and we'll have wiped out practically half of the rebels."

"Your troop is certainly strong, which is why I want you guys on the front line."

"No problem. My guys'll be more than happy to kick butt."

"Now we have men who will be positioned–"

"Whoa, wait."

Everyone looked up at the Avatar.

Toph crossed her arms, preparing to defend herself if needed. Zuko asked for his input, since he respected Aang's judgment.

"I just think that maybe it'd be strategically beneficial for us to have Toph command the earthbenders first, capture as many as they can, and then have the waterbenders block off the channel of escape once the rebels get wind of what's going on. Then when they're cornered we incorporate the firebenders to further reduce the threat."

Relaxing a bit, Toph loosed her arms. "That's a good plan. Although, Twinkle Toes you're gonna have to come in with me to knock their scouts out of the trees before they get the word out. It'll buy us some time."

"No problem. Someone's gotta be there to look after you."

"What?" she asked in confusion. Aang had never been one to imply she couldn't handle herself in the field. The word was in her freaking title! _Field_ Marshal.

"You know, to make sure you don't play with the rebels too much. You're liable to build a labyrinth around the entire campsite before we even get to do anything."

Toph stroked her nonexistent beard in contemplation. Offhandedly she said, "That would be fun…" then she waved her hand, "next time," she assured them with a wicked grin. Getting back to the business at hand she put the little block representing her company back on the frontline. "It's a good plan, but we don't have that many earthbenders at our disposal. We're lucky to have the ones we got. So, along with the earthbenders will be my platoon. I've trained them in stealth and I gotta say, until you see them in action you won't believe what they can do now."

Zuko nodded in respect to her training skills. "You have proved effective in training the special corps. I have to say that having you as my Field Marshal was a stellar decision on the part of whoever hired you. Oh, right, me."

Katara scoffed at her husband. "Should we all prepare to make this attack the day after tomorrow?" Zuko looked up sharply from the war table to his wife who looked innocently around the table.

"We'll start preparing the troops accompanying us as early as dawn," Aang agreed.

Toph groaned at that. She planned on sleeping in and letting her company stew in anticipation for her arrival. However, she grudgingly admitted that the earlier she punished them, the faster they could all get into deploy mode. "Now that that's settled, what do you say about getting some grub around here Twinkle Toes?"

"Yeah, I could go for some food. Are you guys going to come?"

Toph spoke up before anyone thought of answering, "Sweetness and Hot Zone already ate. Hurry up Twinkle Toes, I have to feed the monster before bedtime or it's liable to take its rage out on you."

"Is that what we're calling your stomach now? I thought it was the Bottomless Pit of No Return?" he joked as Toph led him out of the conference room, eager to leave the couple to discuss something that went entirely over the Avatar's head.

Katara waved at them, "Feel free to ask for whatever you want. Have a good night's sleep and we'll see you tomorrow."

" 'Night Katara, Zuko," Aang managed to say before Toph tugged him harder towards the kitchen. "You act as if I didn't even feed you!"

"I have dietary needs Airhead."

"The only dietary need you have is to go _on_ a diet. You stuff your face like the world is going to run out of food…"

Their banter soon disappeared down the hallways and Katara was left to face her blunder and her husband. Wanting to avoid a night of yelling so soon after their friends finally made it back from whatever they had to do safely, she turned on her foot announcing that she was heading to bed as she powerwalked out of the war room. Zuko said nothing but simply heaved a sigh. He walked back at his own pace, knowing that Katara probably lay in bed feigning sleep to avoid talking. Honestly, he didn't want to fight, but his position required voicing before any troops headed out. If Katara thought he would let her on the field in her condition she was sadly mistaken.

When he finally made it back to their room, he lit the torch on his left to better see her. Shadows of their furniture danced along the wall as the flames licked the oxygen, almost looking eager to witness a showdown between the Fire Lord and a Master Waterbender.

"Katara, I know you're awake."

"Zuko, can we talk about this tomorrow? I know you revel in the meetings you have in the war room, but they make me so tired I can hardly keep my eyes open." She hid herself underneath layers and layers of blankets, somehow freezing in the warm night. Later on, Zuko knew, she'd dump all the blankets on him and leave him sweating like cattle facing their end at the hands of a butcher while she lied comfortably in her sleep garb.

He discarded his formal robe, dictating status, on the hook near the closet. Slowly he undressed, knowing that Katara was squirming in their bed, waiting for him to say something. She readied herself to argue any point he could possibly bring up as she heard a knot untying behind her. Most days, she delighted in the fact that he slept without a shirt on. Other days she felt he was purposely trying to distract her with his hard muscles that lead to a tapered waist built up over years of training and discipline. Now, she felt thankful for the covers over her face. After the torch was put out, he slowly slid into bed with only the sheerest of bed sheets covering his lower body leaving his upper half exposed.

He reached around and pulled down the covers just under her chin. With the lightest of touches he kissed her lips before pulling the covers back up and settling in for sleep after the long day of worrying and planning.

"Tomorrow," he intoned resolutely. He knew this probably meant chasing Katara down and forcing her to talk to him about what she planned. But if he could track the Avatar all around the world, surely finding his wife in his own house would be much less of a challenge.

Katara snuggled in, not getting to sleep until much later into the night as she prepared rebuttals in her mind to call up at the appropriate time. If he thought she was getting left behind, he was sorely mistaken.


	5. The Day Before

A/N: Disclaimer: I do not own the Avatar or the characters.

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><p>"Are you the tired?"<p>

"No, Field Marshal Bei Fong."

"Do you understand why you're doing this?"

"Yes, Field Marshal Bei Fong."

"Do you all want to stop?"

"No, Field Marshal Bei Fong."

"Did you just lie to me?"

"Yes, Field Marshal Bei Fong."

"Stop, bow, and get your gear ready ya disorderly bunch of gutless worms. I want you up at four ready to move out."

"It's been an honor Field Marshal Bei Fong," her troop struggled to say as a goodbye. A few of them fell forward from the sheer momentum of their bows and the heaviness of their bones from what the Field Marshal called "Warm-up Punishment." At least one part of the name turned out right (unfortunately it was the "Punishment" part). Her troop turned sharply to the right and headed back to their dorms in two single file lines. At this point the lines just came as easily as breathing. They knew their Field Marshal wouldn't care if they left in a blob, but they still wanted to impress her. They'd heard magnificent tales about her travels with the Avatar and they could say with firsthand experience that her strength was, unfortunately, not exaggerated.

Toph walked with calculation to stand, back against the wall, underneath a ventilation shaft. With a swift kick to the metal wall behind her, a door opened up to reveal a certain best friend.

"Hi Toph," Aang greeted cheerfully, stepping through the threshold as if he hadn't just been caught snooping.

"This better not be some evaluation Twinkle Toes," she greeted mildly.

"If it was, all I'd say is to give the poor guys a break."

She fixed the wall. "Not my style."

Aang shrugged. "Worth a try to plea for the oppressed. I do that you know."

"You're nervous for tomorrow."

It took the Avatar a moment to realize that she didn't ask a question. A bench suddenly appeared behind him, which he sloppily fell on. His anxiety and concerns all but dripped from his pores.

"Well, yeah, I hope I don't have to hurt anyone more than necessary." Burying his face in his hands mumbled his speech but Toph still understood what he meant to say. Toph thought about pulling the seat away from him, but only for a fleeting moment. Currently, his disposition wouldn't humor the prank.

Instead she sat next to him, giving him room to drop a sigh of exhaustion.

"There are few things I'm sure of about this life." She counted them on slim, calloused, muscular fingers, "The first is my awesomeness–" he shoved her shoulder with his. "I'm serious–" she pushed back harder than she meant. "Now do you wanna hear my wisdom or not?"

He held up his hands in surrender, "Sorry, I'll listen."

"Damn right. Now, the second is that no matter what happens….I'll always kick butt."

He smiled, but anxiety continued to throb through his veins, almost thinning the thick veins in an effort to loosen his resolve.

"And the third is that while there is good and bad – yin and yang – within humans, we will always end up fighting something. Right now, the world wants to rest. As we are, no one – not even you – could give the world the square of piece we need in this messed up sphere. That's why we're fighting right now. For peace. Hopefully that'll last a hundred years."

The Avatar stared at his friend for a long time, contemplating her words, contemplating her growth. Though it would take her a while, she was still growing in body and spirit. Nevertheless, he respected and cared for her.

Slits of light entered the training room from the ventilation shaft above them illuminating the barest bit. With her sharp features and blank eyes, he could see how she easily commanded a troop in the same fashion she commanded the earth. Those sharp features and blank eyes could scare a man silly if she sought to give herself a laugh.

"No matter how much you stare at me, you cannot suck out my awesomeness. How many times do I have to tell you this?"

He smiled, anxiety temporarily forgotten. "You're so beautiful; it's almost a crime not to stare."

She pointed to her eyes and turned to face him. "Am I doing this right? I'm trying to roll my eyes at you." When the eye rolling didn't quite go as planned, a sharp, swift punch made its way to his arm as she stood.

"It's late. Let's go to sleep since we have to move out early in the morning."

"Toph Bei Fong," Aang gasped, scandalized. He put down the makeshift seat and held a hand over his forehead, as if faint. "I'm shocked."

Toph furrowed her brow. "Over what?" She scanned the room, wondering just what would make him react like this. He made his way out of the room slowly, so as to cause little suspicion as possible.

"I can't believe you would propose we sleep together outside the marriage bed." He gave a huff, and walked a little quicker towards the exit as if to preserve his honor.

Toph couldn't believe what he'd just said. She was definitely turning into a bad influence if the Avatar was making jokes like that. Though, she was silently relieved that he could even make jokes given his earlier state.

"Aang!"

Her indignant roar she made with slight embarrassment he took as a cue to run if he ever wanted to see light outside the training room again. The afternoon in the garden before the counter attack on the Rebels would only be remembered by three people: Avatar Aang, Field Marshal Toph Bei Fong and the gardener who wondered why in the world Field Marshal Bei Fong would turn Avatar Aang into a human pretzel. He left them to their spat, only belatedly realizing he probably should have called someone to intervene. Purple was not the Avatar's usual color after all.

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><p>That morning started out with wet tensions amongst the generals at the small change in plans. They rung out their damp frustrations at their troops, giving them quick workouts and then going over new formations they would implement when in battle after the earthbenders. Zuko had spent that morning checking the supplies list, the list of soldiers and a report from the Earth King. Zuko still hadn't had time to fly over and talk to King Kuei along with the Avatar about the fire nation colonies. He knew that after tomorrow there could be no more delays. Everything was riding on this counter-attack. Every general worth his salt could tell that much without even being told.<p>

Zuko rubbed his temples with the bottom part of his palms, as if digging into his skull would force out the pressures of being the Fire Lord.

There was also the small matter of talking to Katara. Though in a position of royalty, he still wanted to personally offer his skill and march right in the line of fire with Toph Bei Fong. But the only reason Generals and Marshal's even existed was to serve their nation, the one Zuko was currently trying to keep from breaking apart like a badly structured kindling fire. If the sticks were not placed properly the heat wouldn't be able to circulate well and the fire would die. Too many sticks and the fire could easily be smothered. As the Fire Lord it was his job to take what sad excuse for a fire his father – his family – had built, and restructure it while the fire still burned hot and high. He wouldn't admit it, but he was afraid of sticking his hand inside.

He picked up a sheet of handsome stationery, wasting no time or breaths in reading the elegant writing. Near the end of the first paragraph he wondered if he hadn't just read this. Eyes roaming over the various scrolls littering his desk, he swore he'd just read this paper but couldn't even remember what it was about. One of his attendants, who'd struggled to speak up, found his voice at last.

"Maybe you should rest Fire Lord Zuko. The papers will not move without your say."

Packing up all the important sheets, he locked them in his desk knowing he would have an equally full day tomorrow.

"Perhaps you're right. Would you prepare a bath, please?"

"Of course, Fire Lord."

The man bowed as Zuko left the room. Before heading to draw the Fire Lord a relaxing bath, he thought regrettably that the poor boy would never get to enjoy life as others his age would. But since it was not his place to speak of such things, he drew the bath in silence. Zuko sat in the hot water for a long time, warming it up with his firebending when it turned lukewarm. He'd sent off his attendants, wanting some time to himself to relax and brace himself for another day. If he survived the encounter he knew would come with Katara, maybe he'd give the letters another chance.

For most of the day, Katara managed to avoid the confrontation she knew she'd have to face. If she was being honest…she knew Zuko was right in his anger. She should not go out and battle an opponent when someone else's life depended on her living. But she just couldn't sit back and let people fight for her. She was a fighter through and through. When her mom died, she fought to keep their family alive. She cooked, cleaned – she resisted gagging over the horrors of cleaning Sokka's socks. And when their dad left, she still fought to keep their ever departing family together. After freeing Aang, she fought for him. When Toph joined the group, yes she did fight _with_ her, and then fought alongside her. With all the fighting she's done, it was a wonder she even knew how to sit still.

Rounding the corner to head back to their room (hoping to get there before him in order to feign sleep again) the image of her dreams and current nightmare stood at their door, about to open it. And (spirits help her) he was dressed in nothing but a robe and slippers. His long hair plastered comically to the sides of his strong face, but did little to dispel the anxiety curling and burning her insides.

"We have to talk."

She gave a sigh. "I know."

"I'd rather we do it inside than out here in the hall."

He stood inside with his hand on the doorknob, not giving her the chance to stand close to an escape route. She avoided the heavy gaze he settled upon her and retreated to stand close to her side of the bed.

"Katara," he began, "what you said yesterday concerns me. You know that you can't fight."

"I can."

"No, Katara. You can't. I forbid you from joining this fight."

She raised an eyebrow and put a hand on her hip. "You forbid me?"

Not realizing the mistake that could lead him off a precipice, he kept on rolling the wheels of his point. "Yes. Katara, be reasonable–" her eye twitched and her hand formed a fist–"you cannot put your life and _our_ child's life in danger like that. I won't allow it."

"I am a master waterbender _Zuko_. All my life I have fought for what I believe in. You can't honestly be asking me to sit down and let my friends fight without me by their side!"

"I'm only asking for what's reasonable."

"Oh, so now I'm unreasonable? You're the Lord of all that is unreasonable Mr.I-Have-To-Find-and-Capture-The-Avatar-Or-I-Will-Never-Restore-My-Honor. Mr.I-Like-My-Toast-Burnt-and-Crumbly. I am being completely reasonable standing for my own beliefs. I promised myself that I would never, _ever_ turn my back on people who need me. Right now, I'm needed out there to help restore your nation back to better days. I can't do that if I'm cooped up like a chicken in this big excuse for a cage!"

"When have I ever caged you? I'm fighting for my beliefs too. And I believe that having you out there among people who hate me and, by consequence hate _you_, is not the smartest idea you've ever had!"

"I'm not stupid _Fire Lord_. I can take care of myself!"

"You think I don't know that? You are not stupid, but you're making a pretty stupid decision taking our unborn child into war!"

"I can defend my child and myself better than most people can protect themselves."

"And I hope the time for that doesn't come. Do you want to risk our child's life in an act of selfishness?"

"Selfish. Selfish? Selfish is a man who keeps putting off meeting with the Earth King because he's too scared of having to actually run this country without turning into his father!"

The silence slapped Katara with the reality of her words. Zuko, whose anger had been steadily growing with their tone, looked like Katara had just stabbed him in the heart. In a way, she had. Later she'd wonder how to repair what'd she'd broken between them, but at the moment pride, self-righteousness and anger clouded her worries.

With the tone of an executioner he said, "You are not leaving this room."

Before she could reply he yelled for his guards. Five guards entered the room, alert and ready to follow orders.

"Cuff her to one of the poles."

"What?" Katara shrieked. "You can't honestly – let go of me. Zuko you can't do this to me!" Katara struggled heavily against the larger men, but she held her own. They grunted with the effort of steering clear from her well positioned kicks.

"I'm doing what I have to. I can't afford to lose you."

His confession was lost to her ears as two men hooked cuffs around the metal pole and then on the Fire Lady. Though they had mixed feelings about restraining the Fire Lady, they couldn't dwell on that for long. She was bucking and kicking like a mad woman. It took one more man to help restrain her to the pole. Once her wrists were restrained she pushed and pulled. The sharp tang of metal scraping metal hurt Zuko's ears, but not more than the grenade her words exploded in his heart.

"This is just for tonight."

"Zuko let me out of this!"

"I'm sorry."

"I will not forgive you for this! Let me out now!"

He ordered the men to watch her. They were not to let her go until the troops got back. Katara's screeches could be heard throughout their floor, but Zuko refused to look back. Whether or not she actually could protect herself, the risk of losing her proved a grave price that the Fire Lord was unwilling to pay. He had to protect her, even if it meant protecting her from herself.

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><p><strong>AN: Oh Zuko. You never learn. And silly Katara…have a seat, eat a cookie, eat two cookies.**

**Anyways, I'm going to pretend for the sake of this fiction that The Promise and The Legend of Korra never happened (no matter how much I like them).**

**I'm so sorry for leaving you guys hanging, but I lost my flashdrive and the will to write. But then I took many vacations and rediscovered my passion for writing. So, slowly but surely updates will occur. However, now that I'm entering college…well, some of you guys can imagine how hard updating will be with college weighing its ever increasing amount of tuition over my shoulders. I'll do my best though.**

**Also, I'm sure you've noticed the lack of fluff between Toph and Aang. Well, they both have responsibilities but rest assured words will be said, actions shared, and all that jazz.**


	6. The Red Baskets

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender.**

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><p>"You suck at relationships Sparky."<p>

Zuko turned around, startled at Toph's sudden appearance in his study where he intended to sleep before the men headed out. She leaned with crossed arms against the wall across from his desk. Letting go of the pillows and blankets he'd tried to rearrange into a semblance of comfort, they fell with a small rustle to the floor. Needing to protect himself from further damage that evening, he crossed his own arms, caging his heart.

"I do not have to justify myself to you."

"Meh. Don't care about that. Just saying that you suck at relationships."

"Did you even hear her? She shouldn't fight in her condition."

Toph picked at her nose, nonchalantly pissing off the Fire Lord. A vein throbbed prominently underneath Zuko's light skin as nothing more than a shadow in the dim glow provided by a torch near the door.

"I know she has a strong sense of justice but when does that override the safety our child needs?!" He growled, knowing that taking his anger out on the Field Marshal was wrong but unable to stop his already torn heart from spilling its worry at the young girl's bare feet. After all, a carnal cage was one easily broken. His battered heart spluttered violently in his suddenly constricted chest. A wave of nausea threatened to overtake him, but he kept it down. Barely. He didn't want to fight anymore, but if she insisted he wouldn't back down.

"She knows that. Katara just…she's not one to sit back and let others fight for her. She wants to help and you can't condemn her for that. Yeah, okay, maybe she got a bit too confident in what she could do in her condition, but can you blame her? The chick's a master waterbender. She's got enough skill and heart to hold her own."

Zuko's face drained of everything but exhaustion. He dropped to the floor, leaning his head against the hard wood of his desk. "I know that. But I won't risk her life."

"And in the end she probably wouldn't either."

"What do you mean?"

Toph shrugged. "Your argument took a wrong turn. You could have brought it back to caring but you got angry instead. With Katara, you fight fire with fire all you get is a charbroiled butt for breakfast."

A ragged sigh escaped his dry lips. "I know I didn't handle it smoothly–"  
>Toph's voice turned bitter, "Ch'yeah you didn't. You better fix this mess. Katara deserves more than what you're giving."<p>

Zuko couldn't answer her. At that moment the desperation to keep her safe overrode all other options. If Toph heard their argument and saw a different path, maybe he should have seen it too. But he'd have to take it tomorrow when everyone and their prisoners made their way back safely. His heart couldn't risk the fear of letting his love go any time before then.

"I'm leaving this to you, so don't disappoint." She moved to stand in front of the window Zuko just now noticed was wide open. "Have you thought about what we talked about before I left?"

Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm not going to oppose it. Ultimately, it's your decision. I'll have the papers signed by tomorrow."

Toph gave a quick nod and jumped out the window, the closest route to her sleeping quarters. She was intent on replenishing her energy before the fight, especially after finishing one a moment ago. She fell asleep remembering the sounds of his heart beating like a hummingbird when speaking of Katara. It held little pauses of fear and trepidation. It was strange to feel fear in the Fire Lord's heart, but if any guy had a right to fear, it was the guy who currently held all the political power in a nation that once declared war upon the entire world and now held the responsibility of sweeping up the mess in front of aforementioned world instead of cowardly sweeping it under the rug. He couldn't let the pressure break him. He had friends to back him up. She hoped he wouldn't forget that.

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><p>Preparations began at four in the morning. A few troops took their seats in the cafeteria, relatively energetic, before reporting to their respective Generals to receive orders. Toph went over the plan with her well fed and warmed up troop before moving out.<p>

"Everyone keep moving forward. We take out as many as we can on the way and we don't stop until we reach the far end of the camp. I've taught you how to be silent and I expect you to do just that. When I go ahead, you fan around me. Earthbenders, half of you will be in front and the other half in the back. My men make up the middle. Once the enemy is up, we stand and fight. Understood?" Though she donned her usual earthbending armor, her chest held the Fire Nation insignia.

The two once opposing nations engraved upon one chest gave the earthbenders posted with Toph's usual troop a strange sense of high regard. Before this, all would deny feeling a bit uneasy in the presence of so many firebenders. Now, they held no doubt the Marshal would take care of them. And after eating with her men the earthbenders reached a silent consensus predicating that their new found teammates, of a sort, would also take care of them. Heck, in the days before the plan was executed they'd actually shared a laugh with the firebenders. Her troops appeared to respect her despite her origin. Or was it in regard of her origin? For their first battle in the aid of the Fire Nation they just hoped not to disappoint the greatest earthbender and world's first metalbender that ever lived.

"Yes, Field Marshal Bei Fong," the troops said in unison, as if they'd rehearsed it.

"All right," she fastened a metal helmet on her head and walked out the doors of their conference room. "We move now."

The troop filed into four equal lines behind their Marshal. Failure would not meet them today.

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><p>The battlefield was a sight for seeing eyes to behold. Fire Lillies threatened to bloom at the edge of the forest, their buds waiting to burst and bask in the sunlight. The high trees around the encampment offered great shields for the rebels. Scouts were posted in the trees, ten in all. The Avatar went first, silently knocking out the scouts too quickly for them to send word to their friends. He moved around with a small "sorry" before giving the signal for the clear go-ahead. A few earthbenders with Toph's group helped restrain the fallen scouts while the rest of them went ahead.<p>

Toph's men stormed the tents just as morning was still fell half-asleep, a multicolored eye barely cracked against the looming sun. Rendering the occupants immobile and silent lasted for five minutes uninterrupted. Then, just as the troop neared the Rebel's halfway mark, a loud clanging rang out through the encampment, startling Toph's sensitive ears. Still running through the camp, she noted through the vibrations moving up her feet that one of her men got caught in trap. The rebel's ahead scrambled out of their tent ready to fight.

From thirty feet away, she captured three of them by sucking their bodies into the earth. She stopped when a deadly presence coming fast behind her sought her attention. Just as he struck out a palm of blazing fire, Toph bended a pillar of earth underneath the man's hand sending his flame to the sleepy sky. Not one easily deterred from fighting an earthbender, the man (a lieutenant and Weng's right hand man) moved easily amongst the stone pillars she produced to try and knock him off balance in order to land a distinct blow. Toph clamped her jaw in frustration. He moved almost like Azula, with grace and fluidity admirable in a fighter.

"Got a dancing cricket here don't we?" she sniggered.

"A blind earthbender–" he jumped off one of her earlier pillars and kicked a burst of relenting flames before touching the ground once more. Toph, after gauging his height from the sound his voice, bended a curved shelter to block out the fire. Once he landed, she punched the shelter sending out chunks of it towards the man. "I don't dance you know," he tacked on after dodging her volley.

"You don't fight either," she said in hopes of ensnaring the man to fight on the ground. His constant attacks from the air only gave her a split-second to determine his direction and her counter-defense.

"I don't think you're worth me becoming serious."

Toph snorted, her face holding a vindictive smirk. He landed on the ground, not even wasting his energy to take advantage of her unseeing eyes by jumping in the air. He caught the smirk, but thought that she merely demonstrated overconfidence in her abilities. A hail of rocks, differing from medium to preposterous bombarded his area. He dodged, all the while thinking that such overwhelming tactics must surely be the girl's way of overcompensating for mediocre abilities. Then, just as he backflipped over a large rock something extremely hard hit his forehead. The sudden change in momentum caused by clutching his forehead threw him in the way of a medium sized rock. It hit his ribs harshly, sending him twenty feet away.

He looked up to see a young girl juggling two small pebbles in her dainty hands.

"You don't think me worthy and yet you were the one who was beat by a pebble," she commented with unrestrained mirth. "Yeah, I'm the unworthy one," she said mildly as she encased everything but his head in the ground.

_Men never learn_, she thought.

"No…" said the man encased in earth with arrogance seemingly inappropriate giving his current situation. "A blind earthbender will always be weak."

Easily kicking a rock to the rebel's stomach coming up behind her, she turned back to the man she'd just defeated. He was talented; she had to give him that. He managed to practically knick her a few times when she'd just barely gotten a shield up. The attacks were intelligent and ruthless, but arrogant.

"I'm not just a blind earthbender. My name is Toph Bei Fong, the world's greatest earthbender and world's first metal bender. Field Marshal to the Fire Nation troops." She took the metal cuffs hidden in her arms, hurled them into the earth, and restrained his movements without bringing his body back up. Something about the man cautioned her to keep him underground. "And don't you forget it."

Though she couldn't see his egotistical smile, she felt a change in his heart. When she'd fought him his heart beat accelerated only the smallest bit from jumping so many times. Now, it beat quick, as if waiting for something to come. But Toph couldn't spend any more time there. Feeling the battles around her, she noticed that a few of the rebels fought in groups of two or three against one man, literally dropping the Fire Nation's numbers one by one. Their animalistic style of fighting gave her men a bit of difficulty, so she ran back to help.

The rebels moved with precise, reckless efficiency. To the untrained eye they appeared to simply exude recklessness, but Weng had taught them to develop his personal doctrine on the principles of fire: wild, easily spread throughout the pack, but capable of being controlled.

Aang jumped in after seeing the rebels engage the Fire Nation troops. He protected as many people as he could, having lost sight of Toph a while ago. In a mere fifteen minutes, the advantageous group became clear. As earthbenders incarcerated rebels to trees and make-shift cages, Weng gave a soft, but penetrating two toned whistle from his perch in the trees. Every man on the battlefield heard the cry, but fighting the strong opponents in front of them kept them from acting. Many rebels looked up at the sky, a fact unnoticed by most of the Fire Nation troops. A few rebels on the fringes tried to run across the river, only to find their feet frozen in place by waterbenders. Only those fully intent on retreating in order to survive another day made it through the waterbenders by hurling large and frightening walls of fire at them.

Silently and swiftly the sky above the dispersed battles filled with small little baskets floating like red petals in the wind towards the ground. The swarm caught the attention of a few, but too late. A strange ringing reverberated throughout the forest, chilling the largest and noisiest creatures into fearful silence.

Avatar Aang hurled away the men surrounding him, while thirty or so feet away stood the Field Marshal with a large rock over her head, ready to hurl it in front of a small group trying to run away from the fight. Only the rebels with a distinct will to live threw themselves at the ground and covered their heads, much to the Fire Nation's confusion. Suddenly explosions assaulted the camp with enough force to knock out ten strong men. The baskets began exploding just two feet above the standing soldiers. Rebels ducked their heads and ran, heading towards the mountains.

Those standing flew to the ground, their bodies hit with shrapnel. Aang's heart fell to his feet as he watched good men fall, their armor hardly escaping penetration. After the first exploded, he'd only managed to cast his wits about him to gather the ones closest to him and disarming them within a condensed ball of earth. He looked around to see what he could do with his free hand and found a sight too terrifying to believe.

His best friend held a rock above her head, and in the next second the rock split into a million pieces as Toph, like a rag doll, flew back into a thick tree trunk with such force that the tree gave a groan. Toph fell forward with little more than a murmured moan. The lieutenant, his face scuffed from a few stray shrapnel pieces, laughed cruelly at the sight of the weak, blind earthbender who thought she had won. When two men escaping dislodged him from his underground cage, they feared the man went mad by the chortles escaping his thin lips.

The black smoke from the explosions mixed with the once pure air, turning a foggy gray as it left the haggard scene below. All the baskets either went off or were destroyed safely by the Avatar. With no more baskets or rebels to worry about, a slightly wounded General rounded up a few men still able to fight and began tracking the rebels who'd managed to escape. The rest of the people left in the camp ran to the aid of those no longer conscience. More than a few of Toph's men ran towards her side, praying with all their souls that she was still alive.

While turned her over, the others called out to her sleeping form into order to rouse the Field Marshal. "Stop yelling," they hoped she'd say. Or "you keep up that noise and I'll top your punishment from yesterday." But not even a groan left her suddenly abortive lungs.

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><p><strong>AN: I feel like this chapter took me way too long to post. I planned on posting it sooner but other duties seemed to always call me.**

**Hope you enjoyed (but not too much because people got hurt and if you enjoyed that well, you're obviously a sadist. JOKES.) and look forward to the next chapter.**

**Love: Lola of the Peaches**


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